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VR6 Randomly shutting down while driving

22K views 19 replies 10 participants last post by  QualityCheese 
#1 ·
I know this is a common problem, but I couldn't find a thread on this in semi-recent pages and Google searches give inconclusive/non-vortex threads. So... My 1999.5 VR6 has been randomly shutting off while driving the passed few days. It seems more common at highway speeds. It doesn't seem like the dash lights or anything electrical shuts off or anything, but it simply just loses power, with no response when I press the gas peddle. Then when I push in the clutch, the rpms drop all the way to 0, and the battery light comes on. I have to crank it once or twice while still rolling, but it then starts back up and drives fine. Sometimes it stalls out again after 5-10 more minutes of driving, and does the same thing. No check engine light.

What could this be? Recently I have had both plugs and wires replaced, and an OBD2 scan was done at the same time which revealed a knock sensor code, which was cleared and did not return after a full day of driving. Any input is much appreciated. I probably won't be tackling the repair/service myself since I have very little experience working on engines and work all day every day, so I would really like estimates on how much the parts will cost, how much the dealer would charge for the repair, and how much other service shops would charge for the parts and repairs.

Thanks in advance
 
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#2 ·
make sure your fans are working correctly, my fans stopped working and my car would shut down randomly even though the temperature gauge wasnt showing a high temperature but it would need to cool down first to start back up, it sounds like yours is starting quickly after it shuts off so It might not be the same problem but its an idea to look into. gl
 
#4 ·
^^ That's what happens to me. Haven't checked the fans though, I'll do that in the next day or so. Just the big one in the very front, or is there another one that could be causing the failure?

Scanned it yesterday and the only code that came back was some type of air leak warning in bay 2. The mechanic cleared the code and we're gonna scan it again next time I go back to see if it comes back.

This morning we put on a serpentine belt. After not happening in a couple days, it died again today while driving off from a stop sign. However, this time it was different. I pressed the gas pedal a few times while still rolling, and then it just snapped back to life and I kept driving. As I remember that actually happened once before about a week ago.

Will update again when I know more.
 
#5 ·
Had this happen to me on one of my VRs. It would randomly die while cruising. Would get towed home and then it would crank on it's own...

Ended up being one of the wires of the plug to the ignition module/coil (harness side) Brown one I believe it was.

With the car running, you can try to wiggle each individual wire and see if you get any response. Don't yank on the wires but give it a wiggle...
 
#7 · (Edited)
Just a little update: it seems like it isn't fully shutting down now, but while I'm driving the revs just start dropping as if I lifted my foot off of the gas pedal. I still have my foot on the gas, but there is just no response from the engine. Then, after feathering the gas pedal a few times, the engine snaps back to life and continues driving along as if nothing happened... Also, the engine is getting weaker and weaker on the start-up, like its eventually not going to start in the next few days. What the hell is going on?! Please, anyone who has experienced this and fixed it or has heard of this problem before, help! I am getting frustrated enough with this that I am close to taking it into the dealership.
 
#11 ·
So I took the vr in to the dealer on Friday. They kept it there all day and took it for a road test and let it idle for a bit, and they said it never died on them. They scanned it and no codes came back. So they said they didn't find anything wrong with it.

Good news is that they didn't charge me anything... Bad news is that they have no idea what is, and it is still doing it occasionally on me. I guess the best thing to do now is to get either the dealer or my usual mechanic to start checking each individual part that has been mentioned by you guys and if necessary, start replacing them one by one.

I do have a feeling it has something to do with the fuel delivery though, because it seems to only happen when I am getting close to empty (not so close that the gas light is on or anything) and it almost always only happens when I am going up an incline on the highway.
 
#12 ·
When your tank is on the low side make a full bore acceleration run and report back to us.



----------------------------------Or---------------------------------------------------------------
Let it idle with the nose way up and do some revs...wonder if it's a gas tank problem?
 
#13 ·
Well, VR wouldnt start this morning. I went out to start it, and it just made a very weak crank and then quit and started doing that clicking thing. I got a boost and it started up right away and ran fine, and then when I got to work and turned the car off, I tried to start it right back up and it didn't even try to crank; it just started clicking.

Could this be the battery? It ran fine and everything while driving over, until I shut it off and tried to start again. Or maybe the battery isn't connected to the alternator, so the battery isn't being charged while the car is running? I am getting pissed off beyond belief with this.
 
#14 ·
Diagnosing car problems online is very difficult to do. However, here's some insight (if it helps). It looks like you have more than one issue going on simultaneously.

For your battery to not have enough CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) to start your engine could usually mean one of two things: Your battery is bad and needs replacing or Your Alternator is bad and needs replacing/repair. The quick way to check for this is to use a voltimeter/multimeter. Measure the resistance and the voltage of the battery. It should be anywhere from 10-13v. Watch the multimeter and see if the power in the battery is dissipating rapidly. If it is, your battery needs replacement. If you don't have a Multimeter, you can go over to Autozone and they'll test your battery/alternator for free. If your battery is good, then you need to test your alternator while it's running. It should put out anywhere between 14-16v if it's putting out less, then your alternator is bad.

For your engine dying, it could be multiple things. It could a camshaft/crankshaft position sensor. However, I doubt that is the problem, because if it was, you wouldn't be able to start the car for another 20 minutes until the car cools down. It could also be your throttle body going bad. In traditional engines, the throttle body is controlled by a mechanical cable that is in tension depending on how much pressure you apply to the accelerator pedal. On the other hand VRs have drive-by-wire throttles. Meaning, you have a digital signal that is sent to a stepper motor in the throttle body when you depress the accelerator pedal. This is in lieu of a mechanical cable. That signal will cause the stepper motor to rotate at a certain angle, which will in turn actuate the throttle. If the switch in your pedal that sends the signal is bad, then you will have retarded or no throttle response. It could also be a vaccuum leak. If you have a vaccuum leak, you will potentially have engine sputtering. You could potentially have a bad connection with one of your ignition wires. I'd check those, since that won't cost you anything. I'd also check your fuel filter. If it hasn't been changed, chances are it may be clogged with a lot of junk. The possibilities are many. But I hope this is perhaps a start.
 
#15 ·
Thanks a lot for the info. My father is going to come to help me get the car started when he gets off work; I'll tell him to bring along his voltmeter when he comes. I'm pretty sure he has one... I'm really hoping this is something simple like a loose connection or bad ground or something. I'm a little confused though: if the alternator was bad, wouldn't the car not be able to run even after a boost?

I'm also going to check the other stuff you mentioned as soon as I get the car home; right now I'm just worried about being able to start the car and drive it. I'm so angry at it right now that I'm not even going to try to do any work today, just gonna chill and wait for my dad to get here and help me start er.
 
#16 ·
..if it is not anything that is throwing a code, check you grounds. At the battery AND the block
 
#17 ·
took the battery out of my old TDi and put it into the VR and it started right up. So, we know the battery that was in it before was dead. But, the battery from the VR was new in feb 2013, and the battery from the TDi says march 2010 on it... So either something is drawing power from the battery while the car is off, or somewhere in the wiring there is a bad connection.

My dad tried to test the voltage of the battery but clearly had the multimeter set wrong and almost completely melted wires... So I'll try it again tomorrow when we put a new battery in it (I have a warranty for a new one) to see what the alternator is providing to the battery while the car is on.
 
#18 ·
On my 95 Vr I had( only once) the car start to lose power at hwy speeds. The MFD started to fade, the radio display faded and the engine started to miss and idle slowly. Got off the HWY made it to a parking lot and the engine stalled and would crank slowly, relays clicking and then nothing. Let it cool and after 15 minutes it started. I jiggled all wires and connectors in the engine compartment. Back at home I found that the single wire connector at the alternator was corroded and loose.

Bottom line - occasionally the wire would lose connection and the battery would slowly discharge while driving. Never noticed because of a faulty alt warning light. Battery was good when charged.

Check all ground connections while you're at it - The big one at the transmission bolt just above the starter. On Mk4 also check body grounds located under the battery.
 
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